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Latching Issues . . .

Hi! I am new, and so excited to get to discuss things with other women! I have a 5 month-old, and have breastfed him since day one. The only way I've been able to get him to latch on and eat is with a nipple shield. (Due to my flat nipples.) This isn't how I'd want it, but I really believe that it's important for him to be breastfeeding, and if that's what I have to do to accomplish it, I will. I am wondering, however, if anyone has been able to successfully wean a baby off of the nipple shield. I have tried to get him to latch without it, and he just won't. Any suggestions? I would love to get rid of it altogether, but I'm not sure how to and still get my little one enough to eat! Any advice would be fabulous! Thanks!

My son would never latch properly. I ended up using a nipple shield the entire time, 16 months. It's not the greatest thing in the world, but it was way better than formula! The reason why my son never latched properly was because he physically could not do it. His tongue was tied, and the hospital never caught on to it. I had I don't know how many nurses and lactation consultants in my room during my 3 day stay trying to figure out why my son would not properly latch. Only after he was a year old did they diagnose him as being tongue tied and they surgically cut the skin that holds the tongue down on to the bottom of the mouth. He still has issues with eating and swallowing... they waited WAY too long to do this. I suggest if you are having these issues at 5 months, take your baby to the doctor and make them look to see if he is tongue tied. It will save you from having a 2 year old that can't eat table foods....

I agree. I was tongue tied when I was born so I knew to look out for that when I had kids, but luckily neither of mine were. They caught mine as soon as I was born though, now they don't seem to care to look :/

I don't have this problem but wanted to say that I agree w/steph... go have him checked, it'd be better sooner than later! Good luck!!

Quoting steph2884:

My son would never latch properly. I ended up using a nipple shield the entire time, 16 months. It's not the greatest thing in the world, but it was way better than formula! The reason why my son never latched properly was because he physically could not do it. His tongue was tied, and the hospital never caught on to it. I had I don't know how many nurses and lactation consultants in my room during my 3 day stay trying to figure out why my son would not properly latch. Only after he was a year old did they diagnose him as being tongue tied and they surgically cut the skin that holds the tongue down on to the bottom of the mouth. He still has issues with eating and swallowing... they waited WAY too long to do this. I suggest if you are having these issues at 5 months, take your baby to the doctor and make them look to see if he is tongue tied. It will save you from having a 2 year old that can't eat table foods....

I had to use shells to bring out my nipples...and eventually got sick of those and saw something at Walmart made by Lansinoh, that is like a suction thing that brings your nipple out to help the baby latch on.

I had to use shells to bring out my nipples...and eventually got sick of those and saw something at Walmart made by Lansinoh, that is like a suction thing that brings your nipple out to help the baby latch on.

Thank you so much! I have now successfully fed my son for a day without using the nipple shield! I am so happy and proud that my son and I could do this! What a small victory, and thanks for your support!

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